By Lou Modestino
Inaugural Granite State Pro Stock Series champion Bobby Cabral will be honored during the awards banquet, which is set for Friday night, January 18th at The Yard Restaurant in Manchester, NH. The awards banquet will also celebrate the first season of the Granite State Pro Stock Series that saw six different winners in the six events held in 2012. Six winners in six races highlighted the inaugural season.
The veteran Cabral, of East Kingston, NH, captured the title in the final race of the season, a season that saw him visit victory lane in July at Hudson Speedway, and finish inside the top-five in five of the six races. Cabral’s worst finish of the season was a seventh place finish.
Bobby Baillargeon chased Cabral down to the wire and will be honored for his runner-up season finish. Baillargeon, of Kingston, NH, grabbed a win at Hudson Speedway in August and had three finishes in the top-five.
Veteran stock car racer Barry Gray of Belchertown, MA won the season finale at Monadnock Speedway in October, which help vault him to a third place season finish. Gray captured four top-five place finishes during the 2012 season.
Rich Eaton of Seabrook, NH secured a fourth place season finish with two top-five place finishes and four top-ten place finishes. Fran Colson of Gardner, MA claimed the fifth place season point finish.
Mike O’Sullivan won the season opening race at Monadnock Speedway in May. Part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Matt Frahm of New Salem, NH earned the win at Star Speedway in August, while hometown racer Donnie Lashua picked up the win at Canaan Fair Speedway in his only start with the Granite State Pro Stock Series.
The stock-car racing website Vermont Motorsports Magazine, found online at vtmotormag.com, has announced the nominations for its fourth annual “Driver of the Year” awards. The fan-voted awards will recognize stock car drivers from Vermont’s local tracks as well as the regional touring series for their efforts during the 2012 season across ten categories.
A diverse group of sixty-five drivers from asphalt, dirt, full-fender, and open-wheel disciplines make up the ballot.
Competitors are nominated for selection for “Driver of the Year” awards in the Open Wheel, Late Model/Limited/Sportsman, and Four Cylinder categories, as well as categories for Touring Series drivers, drivers competing at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and those competing at Vermont’s three weekly race tracks: Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, and Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl in Barre. There are also nominations for Breakout Driver of the Year and Rookie Driver of the Year.
Ten racers have been named to the overall Vermont Motorsports Magazine 2012 Stock Car Driver of the Year ballot. Airborne Speedway Limited Late Model champion Bucko Branham of Plattsburgh, NY, Devil’s Bowl Speedway Late Model champion Craig Bushey of Fairfax, VT, Sprint Cars of New England champion Chris Donnelly of Piermont, NH, Bear Ridge Speedway Limited Late Model champion Jordan Fornwalt of Bradford, VT,, American-Canadian Tour and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series New Hampshire state champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr., of Dover, NH.
Also, American-Canadian Tour runner-up Brian Hoar of Williston, VT, Bear Ridge Speedway DIRTcar Sportsman Modified champion Adam Pierson of Fairlee, VT, Devil’s Bowl Speedway Modified and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Vermont state champion Ron Proctor of Charlton, NY, Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl champion Nick Sweet of Barre, VT, and Airborne Speedway DIRTcar 358-Modified champion Todd Stone of Middlebury, VT are the nominees for the Driver of the Year.
Bear Ridge Speedway multi-division racer Kevin Chaffee was voted the 2011 Vermont Motorsports Magazine Driver of the Year. Bear Ridge Speedway driver Tom Placey and Devil’s Bowl Speedway driver Don Miller won the 2009 and 2010 awards, respectively.
“Vermont Motorsports Magazine continues to strive to keep fans informed and involved by providing the best coverage possible and give local drivers the recognition they deserve,” said VMM Editor T.J. Ingerson. “The nominees for every category represent the best of the best for the 2012 season. The fan-voted awards provide the fans an opportunity to help recognize their favorite drivers and honor them for their seasons.”
Voting for the Vermont Motorsports Magazine 2012 Driver of the Year Award opens on Friday, November 30 and will run for two weeks, concluding on Friday, December 14. Fans and competitors alike can vote on the awards at vtmotormag.com. The winners will be announced on Victory Lane Radio on Monday, December 17.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway stock car drivers Ron Proctor and Vince Quenneville, Jr., will be among the honorees at a black-tie gala for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series on Friday, December 7. The ceremony, held in the Crown Ballroom at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC, will feature top short track racers from more than 50 tracks in the United States and Canada.
Proctor, of Charlton, NY, will collect hardware for his second straight Devil’s Bowl Speedway Track Championship and Vermont State Division I Championship under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Proctor earned the title racing in the Bond Auto Parts Modified division at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT, where he posted three victories and finished seventh or better in all 18 NWAAS events at the track in 2012. Proctor finished 68th in national NWAAS Division I standings, with his total point fund winnings expected to top $5,000.
Brandon, VT driver Quenneville will be honored as the Vermont State Rookie of the Year for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Although he is a veteran of 25 years behind the wheel, Quenneville qualified for the NWAAS rookie program due to his status as a first-time NASCAR Division I license holder. With five victories, Quenneville finished second in overall track and state standings to Proctor, and ranked a close second in NWAAS national rookie standings behind only Brian Parker of Oklahoma.
Other drivers receiving honors at the NASCAR Hall of Fame will include NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champion Lee Pulliam of Semora, NC, and national runner-up Keith Rocco of Wallingford, CT, who competed at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in May. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series sanctions weekly stock car racing at more than 50 asphalt and dirt tracks in North America under a common championship point structure; each driver’s best 18 results in designated Division I events are counted toward their state and national point totals.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway will honor Proctor, Quenneville, and the local champions and top rookies from all of its four weekly racing divisions at the Banquet of Champions, scheduled for Saturday, February 2, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, VT. More details regarding the festivities will made available soon.
With New England’s Valenti Modified Racing Series celebrating its 10th anniversary next season, President and
Founder Jack Bateman has announced a 19-race schedule for the 2013 campaign.
The series will return to the State of Maine twice next summer with invites back to the Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford 250 weekend, July 20, and the Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, ME., August 3.
The series visits the State of Connecticut eight times with the Waterford Speedbowl hosting the season opener, April 6 & 7,
and a return engagement August 10.
Stafford Springs Motor Speedway adds a third event in 2013.The first race is June 21, with the popular 80-lap races also on tap August 30, and September 13.
Thompson Speedway offers a different twist with two Sunday events and a return to the season ending World Series of Speedway Racing, Saturday, October 19. The Sunday 75-lap races are May 19, and July 28.
New Hampshire tracks host six races with Monadnock Speedway on board for their traditional spring event April 20, and additional events
July 6, and August 24.
Lee USA Speedway will welcome the Laticrete-sponsored race June 28 and will host the series at Oktoberfest weekend, October 12 & 13. Canaan Fair Speedway has July 13 locked in.
Seekonk (MA) Speedway will welcome the VRMS three times with June 8, August 17, and the traditional DAV race, October 5, on the calendar.
The 2012 VMRS banquet will be held Saturday, December 8 at The Clarion Hotel, 1080 Riverdale Street, W. Springfield, MA.
Granite State Pro Stock Series officials have scheduled an informational meeting for the upcoming 2013 racing season on Sunday, December 16 at 1 p.m. at the Best Western Hotel in Keene, NH.
Officials have stated that tires, rules, and the schedule will be discussed, as well as a general overview for the 2013 season. Race teams interested in participating with the Granite State Pro Stock Series in 2013 are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting. Registrations will be available for race teams that wish to participate with the Granite State Pro Stock Series in 2013.
The Best Western Hotel in Keene, NH is conveniently located adjacent to the NH Route 10, 12, and 101 intersection traffic circle, and just ten minutes north of Monadnock Speedway on Route 10.
Riverside Speedway’s Late Model division is growing for the upcoming season. Many drivers have shown interest in going after the championship next year, some for the winning payout, some for the championship winnings, and others for the season long incentives. Two of those drivers have announced their commitment to Riverside in 2013, former track champ Randy Potter and multi-time White Mountain Motorsports Park champ Quinny Welch.
“I’ve always called Groveton home,” stated Welch. The multi-time champ is impressed with Dan Fournier’s ideas for the future of the track and his incentives in the Late Model division. “Dan has looked to proven promoters for advice, and I think it’s awesome how he wants to give back to the racers and promote the track. That’s how it should be.”
Welch is excited to come back to the Groveton high banks, but is expecting some tough competition along the way. Between returning champion Luke Shannon, Potter, Riverside’s returning drivers, as well as other drivers who have shown interest, Welch knows the road to the championship will be tough.
Welch mentioned the name Randy Potter as one of the drivers to beat on more than one occasion. Potter, the 1987 Super Stock champion and 1994 Late Model champion at Riverside Speedway, has made his commitment to Riverside for the 2013 season as well. Potter has been a staple on the ACT tour lately and has a lot of emotions coming back to his home track.
“There will be a higher quality of competition this year,” mentioned Potter. “It will be challenging, and I think you’ll see multiple winners. It’s way better to have more competition, for the racers and the track. It certainly makes you step your game up”.
Along with these two drivers returning to their home track, there have been many more showing interest and asking questions. Stay tuned for more announcements in the near future.